Canada earned a historic point after managing to earn a draw against a dogged Bosnia-Herzegovina in a Group B game at the FIFA World Cup, thanks to a 78th minute goal from substitute Cyle Larin
. Later in the night, the United States started their campaign with an emphatic 4-1 win over a rather listless Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Bosnia were given the lead by Jovo Lukic as early as the 21st minute and looked like they would walk away from the Toronto Stadium with all three points when Larin struck.
At this edition, Canada are making their third appearance at a World Cup. In the previous two World Cups, Canada have never earned a single point, which makes the single point they earned on Friday at Toronto Stadium historic. Canada lost all three of its games at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and four years ago at Qatar 2022.
Canada have also scored just twice in their previous six World Cup group games (with one of those goals coming from an own goal).
“The crowd, I think, willed us into the game as (the players) could feel that energy in the second half tilting more and more,” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch.
The co-hosts enthralled their Southern California fans with an aggressive attack while streaking to a 3-0 halftime lead – the team’s largest in any World Cup game. Gio Reyna ripped another goal in the dying moments of second-half injury time, giving the Americans four goals in a World Cup match for the first time.
After the controversy over USA denying entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Canada have denied the visa of Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey.
The former Arsenal player currently awaits trial in London on multiple charges of rape. He has pleaded not guilty.
A report on The Associated Press said that Partey is scheduled to stand trial in November this year. The rape allegations are from his time with Arsenal from 2020-25. He has since left the club and now plays in Spain for Villarreal.
“His visa application has been refused by the Canadian government,” FIFA said. “FIFA is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas. As with previous FIFA events, the host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and is admitted into the country.”
The Associated Press quoted a response from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. It said in a statement that every person wanting to come to Canada is assessed individually “based on the facts available and the law that applies.”
“Canada is proud to be a host country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and is working to facilitate a successful event while maintaining the safety and security of Canadians,” the IRCC said in the statement. “Canada has been consistent that hosting major events does not change Canada’s immigration laws.”
Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has found himself more than once defending his decision to name Partey in the squad despite the gravity of the charges against him.
“Let events run its normal course, let the river flow and one day when the river meets the ocean we will find the truth,” said Queiroz recently ahead of a warmup game in Wales
“Today, and this is not only about Thomas, very unfortunately the way social media, and the media sometimes, act with full and total impunity we are condemned even before we have the opportunity to defend ourselves,” Queiroz had said.
“If the player is here with me, my answer is clear, so I don’t have to make comments about my own decisions,” said the coach who was hired by Ghana in April.
There was one more visa-related controversy on Friday after the head of Palestinian football federation claimed that he wasn’t granted a US visa for the World Cup. Jibril Rajoub, who attended the FIFA World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, was still in Mexico City awaiting permission to enter the United States with other federation heads attending the World Cup.
The Associated Press reported that he is accredited to attend the World Cup.
The Palestinian team did not qualify for the World Cup, but FIFA typically invites the heads of football associations from around the world to the event every four years, which it frames as a celebration of global unity.
Rajoub, the head of the Palestinian Football Association, had recently made headlines after his refusal to shake hands or appear in the same frame for a photograph with his Israeli counterpart during the FIFA Council meeting, despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s best attempts to get them to shake hands.